Bottle-stopper.



G. KOCH. BOTTLE STOPPER. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. .11, 1891. n.

' lN0 MODEL.

@myC/140,35@ v UNITED STATESQl Patented August 1e, 1904. f

PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY c.v BLYE,

ARod-Tl.E-sToFPER.'

srEcIFIc'ArroN- forinirig part er Letters Patent. No. 767,947, dated-August: 1e, 1904.

', Application filed September 11,1897. Serial No. 651,339. (Nol model.)

To all tch/07de t may con/cern;v v.

Be it known that I, GUsTAvE Koor-r, a citil Zen of Germany', and a resident of New York,

county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Stoppers, .of which the following is a speciication. A l

stoppers or devices for hermetically sealingf bottles, and has forvits object the provision of .a neat, simple, cheap, and effective stopper or seal taking theI place of theordinary cork.

To attain the desired end, my invention consists, essentially, in certain novel construction, and resides in the peculiaroperation and the variousparts and combination vof parts hereed out'pin the claims.. l

My invention isillustrat'ed in the accompanying drawings, wherein` a Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 is an elevation, of one form of my improved stopper or seal; and Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the packing employed therewith. Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section,l showing the stopper in positiony in the mouth of the bottle ready for securing in place; and Fig. 5 is alike View after securing. Fig. 6 is a top View supplementing Figs. 4 and 5. Figs-7 and- 8.are views similar to Figs. 4 and 5, respectively, showing a modified form of stopper prseal for use in abottle of ordinary construction slightly exaggerated in the inafterfullydescr'ibed, and particularly point- Y drawings; andvFigs. `9 and I1() are views similar to Figs- 7 and 8, respectively,show1ng another modificationof the stopper in'like manner. Fig. '11 isa view similar to Figs. 5, 8, and 10, showing the stopper or seal secured in a bottle-neck of modified construction. Fig. 12 -is a side elevation of the stopper-removingtdeviceemployed for extracting the stopper from the mouth of the bottle, and

Fig. 13 is anvend viewof Fig. 12 looking toward the right."

Similar numerals of reference indicate co1'- responding parts-in alllviews of the drawings.

1 isa hollow plug made of any approved material, preferably ofductile metal. Said when it is desired to of the bottle, and the bottom or closed end `3,

1 -plugis adapted to substantially t the mouth preferably integral with the plugl, is made dishedinwardly or convex on its inner face. The top of the plug is open and is provided ,with an outwardly-projecting circumferential I flange 2, adapted to engage thetop of the bot- My invention relatesto bottles andbottle` .tions made in the side wall ofthe plug 1, de-

signed for engaging with the removing device extract the stopper or seal from the mouth of the bottle. Two indentations only are shown. This number, however, may vary fromone upward without appreciably departing frorninve'ntion.

5 is a .packing of any approved material, preferably of thin paper saturated orA coated with wax or resin or similarsubstance, and adapted to nicely fit the .exterior of the side wall ofv plug 1 and cover the bottom thereof as to prevent contact of the liquid in the bottle with the metallic part of the stopper.

rlhe plug l', above described, is designed for the bottle-neck illustrated in Figs. 4 and mouth, the circumferential recess, which conforms with and is adaptedy to receive the flange 2 of the plug 1, serving to prevent the edge ofthe stopper from being pushed inwardly or. readily lifted up or otherwise mutilated as to destroy the neatness of the seal after the lsame is secured in the mouth of the bottle.

In Figs. 7 and 8 the plug 1 is shown without any flange 2, being designed for use with an ordinary bottle as invariably constructed,

having the narrowest' part of the throat!l of the bottle below the mouth thereof. In this form of the plug the side wall thereof ,is made conical, the smaller end of the plug being closed and dished inwardly, said end beingof the same size substantiallyas-the narrowest part of the throat of the bottle. The packing 5 is shown extending but a short distance up the side of the plug, the former being glued or otherwise affixed in any approved manner to the latter to facilitate the handling and applying of the plug or seal.

In Figs. 9 and l() the packing is made deeper than the side wall of the plug and of thicker material, preferably of papier-mch or the like, and the bottom of the plug 1 is perforated at 6 for'the reception of the point of a removing instrument. In this form of my improved seal the plug 1 is preferably made to tightly fit the interior of the packing as to prevent separation of the two parts, thus proyiding the convenience in handling and applying.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, in placing my improved bottle stopper or seal in position it is first inserted in the mouth of the bottle, as shown in Fig. 4, the plug and packing snugly fitting therein. Then by means of a suitable device the inwardly-projecting convex bottom 3 is depressed or fiattened out until it assumes the position illustrated in Fig. 5. This action expands the lower portion of the wall of the plug, forcing it outward against the packing, firmly securing the stopper in place, and effectually sealing the bottle. I/Vhen thin ductile metal is used, packing is not necessary. The plug l is then made to snugly fit the mouth of the bottle and will readily conform to the unevenness of the inner wall of the ,neck of the bottle both when the plug is inserted and when the bottom is expanded to secure the plug.

By reference to Figs. 8 and 10 it will be seen that the bottom of the stopper is expanded below the narrowest part in the throat of the bottle-neck, the action being that the` stopper or seal is first forced into the neck of the bottle-the operationthus far being similar to drawing up metal, the throat of the bottle corresponding to the ,female die-until about the middle part of said stopper is at the narrowest part of the throat of the bottle, when the bottom is depressed or flattened out, laterally expanding the lower portion of the plug and edectually and hermetically securing the stopper in place. The instrument required (not shown) for securing this form of stopper necessarily is made of two parts comprising, essentially, an outer cylinder and a central movable part adapted to be reciprocated longitudinally in the hollow cylinder, the latter engaging at the interior circumferential edge of the bottom of the plug to force the plug in position in the neck of the bottle and the central part of the instrument being afterward employed to flatten the bottom of the plug, the depth to which the plug is first forced into the neck of the bottle being gaged as to insure the eeetual sealing of the bottle. It is of special importance that the hollow ductile plug or stopper shall be of such diameter with respect to the diameter of the throat it is to seal that the drawing-up operation to which I have referred shall be effectually performed, since thereby the extended side walls of the stopper are contracted and conformed to the walls of said throat and caused to enter into sealing contact there with.

In the modified form of the bottle-neck illustrated in Fig. l1 a specially-contracted aperture is formed in the neck of the bottle. '.l`he stopper and the securing of the same is suhstantially the same as in Figs. 7 and 8.

To remove the stopper illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the key 7 (shown in Figs. 1I and l2) is employed. The lower extremity is provided with bayonet-catches 8, adapted to engage the lower edge of the indentations 4, lirnil y connecting the plug to the key, when the stopper may be easily withdrawn from the bottle.

To remove the stopper illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, and ll from its secured position, a pointed instrument, such as 9, forming the handle of the key 7, is pushed through the bottom thereof or through the perforation (i in Figs. 9 and l0, when the stopper may be withdrawn with ease.

I desire to call special attention to the fact that the side walls of the hollow plug-stomier enter into firm contact with the usual surfaces of the neck of the ordinary bottle or other receptacle when said plugis forced into said neck and that thereafter the sealing effect of the stopper is enhanced and the stopper is locked in position by simply flattening the dish-shaped end of the stopper, which acts as a wedge to drive the adjacent portions of the side walls of the stopper into the irmest possible contact "with the walls of said neck and there rigidly 'l'oltheiu The force employed to drive the stopper'nte the neck of the bottle or other receptacle and the diameter of the stopper are such that the side walls of the stopper have a lirm frictional contact with the walls of said neck during the entering of the stopper, and said side walls are thereafter, by simply flattening the dished end, made to conform to all the usual irregularities in the walls of said neck. The stopper is adapted to the ordinary bottles and requires for' its successful use no grooves or other special formations in the necks of the bottles and no rubber gaskets or other packing-rings around the plug or stopper. The stoppers must be constructed with a duc regard to the diameter of the mouth or opening they are to close, since if made unduly large they cannot be forced therein and if made unduly small they will pass freely into the same without sealing along their side walls. 'lhe Stoppers are forced into the neck and the extended surfaces of their sides hind against the adjacent surfaces of the neck, and the application of the stopper is then completed by the attening of its dish-shaped end. ',lhe stopper will only need a coating when not made of aluminium or when made of a metal liahle to corrosion by the action of the special liquid IOC llO

within the bottle. r Ihe flattening of the lower end of the stopper causes said end to not only drive the adjacent portions'of the side walls l of the stopper outward, but also to exert a downward pulling action on'said side walls, whereby they are drawn into eiiicient sealing contact with the wall-surfaces of the neck of the bottle. The sealing of the side walls of a metal plug-stopper by pressure directly applied to the dishedlower end of said stopper .I believeto be entirely new, and it is highly useful, since thereby I am enabled to make use of the usual bottles havingfthe customary' upon the lower end and sides vof said plug,

said plug beingo'f such normal or initial diameter that its sides will be contracted to enter into firm contact with the walls of said plain neck when forced into thelatter and be thereby conformed to and bound against the surfaces of said neck with sealing effect; substann tially asset forth.

2. In combination with a? bottle ha-vingthe usual or plain surfaces witliinits neck, 'a stopper, of the characterhereinbefore described, comprising a hollow ductile metallic plug having sides of adequate surface area and a closed lower end, said plug"l being' of such initial diameter that its sides will be contracted to enter into sealing contact with and conform tothe walls of said neck when the plug is forced into the'latter; substantially as setforth.

3. In-combination with a bottle lhaving thel usual or plain surfaces within its neck, a stopper, of the characterhereinbefore described, comprising a hollow ductilemetallic plughaving sides of adequate surface area, a closed lower end, oppositely-arranged inwardly-projecting indentations 4 adapted for engagement with a removing instrument of the bayonetcatch order, and\the covering packing 5, said packing inclosing the lower end of said plug and extending upon the side walls thereof to a point above said indentations, said indentations being in and integral with the opposite side walls ofsaid plug and suitably above the 'lower end thereof to aord adequate space for the reception of the lower end of said instru- `ment, and said plug being of such normal or initial diameter that its sides will be contracted to enter into -firm contact with the walls of said plain neck when forced4 into the latter and be thereby conformed to and bound against the surfaces of said neck with sealing effect; substantially as set forth.

Incombination with a bottle having the jusual or plain surfaces within its neck, a stop- L pei-,of the character hereinbefore described,

comprising a hollow ductile'metallic plug having sides of adequate surface area, a closed" lower end and oppositely-arranged inwardly-j projecting indenta-tions 4 adapted for engagement with a removinginstrument of thebayonet-catch order, Isaid indentations 4 being in andintegral with the opposite side walls of said plug and suitably above the lower en d of said plug, so that said indentations may not interfere with the proper sealing of the bottle and adequate space be provided below said indentations for the reception ofthe lower end of the said instrument, said plug being of such normal or initial diameter that its sides will be contracted to enter into firm contact with the walls of said plain neck when forced'into the latter and be thereby conformed to and bound'against the surfaces of said neck with sealing effect; substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as m'y'invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 8th day of September, 1897.

GUSTAVE KOCH. Witnesses:'

A. W. KURZ, THnoDoRE HUBER. 

